Clippers point guard Chris Paul was named National Basketball Players Association president Wednesday. / Robert Hanashiro, USA TODAY Sports

by Jeff Zillgitt, USA TODAY Sports

by Jeff Zillgitt, USA TODAY Sports

The National Basketball Players Association has a star as its new president.

Los Angeles Clippers point guard Chris Paul was elected NBPA president on Wednesday at the union's summer meeting in Las Vegas. Paul, who previously was an NBPA vice president, now is charged with stabilizing the players' union after about 18 months of turmoil.

Paul replaces Derek Fisher, whose tenure ends in a shroud of controversy that resulted in the February firing of Billy Hunter, the union's longtime executive director, public squabbles and lawsuits, including Hunter's lawsuit against the NBPA and Fisher in Los Angeles County Superior Court.

"I think I have a lot of experience, being around and knowing what's going on," Paul said Wednesday. "Moving forward is not about me or any one person. It's about the players as a whole. It's going to take a lot of work, but we have a great executive committee, a great group of guys who are ready to move forward."

Paul, a six-time All-Star who was named first-team All-NBA in 2012-13, gives the NBPA its first big-name president since Patrick Ewing's term expired in 2001. He brings an intelligent and reasonable voice to the position, and he also has the respect of players and the league office, including deputy commissioner Adam Silver, who takes over for outgoing Commissioner David Stern on Feb. 1.

"Chris is an All-Star player and person, and we look forward to working with him," Silver said in a statement.

Miami Heat star LeBron James considered running for president but ultimately decided he would not have the time to give the job the attention it requires.

Veteran guard Roger Mason Jr. emerged as front-runner in the past week. But Paul was determined to be the better candidate, especially since Mason is unsigned and the reorganized union wants to avoid missteps.

Last week, Mason told USA TODAY Sports he was the right man for the job. Mason will be the first vice president under Paul, replacing veteran free agent Jerry Stackhouse, who will take a different position with the union. Los Angeles Lakers guard Steve Blake and Charlotte Bobcats forward Anthony Tolliver also were elected vice presidents.

Paul said he had been thinking about the role on and off for some time.

"I had a lot of dialogue with my fellow executives committee members and also with Roger and few different guys about what's expected and the time that's put into being the president," Paul said. "I wouldn't have took this role on if it was going to be me doing it alone. The other guys on the executive committee are just as important as I am. There's not one guy who's bigger than the group."

Paul's election is the first official step toward a fresh start for the union. Hiring an executive director is the next move, and the union plans to hire a search firm to help fill Hunter's role soon. At least two names have surfaced as potential candidates: Stu Jackson, who recently stepped down as the NBA's executive vice president of basketball operations; and Steven Mills, a former NBA and Madison Square Garden executive.

The NBPA has hired Reilly Partners to help with restructuring and developing a job description for the executive director. However, Reilly Partners is not conducting a search for an executive director - as of now.

"There's no rush," Paul said. "We want to make sure our house is in order and make sure everything is in the right place so that the executive director can come right in and hit the ground running."

Paul has been involved with the union since his rookie season, starting out as a player representative then serving as vice president for the past four years.

It is a pivotal time for the union, which is trying to move beyond the turmoil which has paralyzed the group. Behind the scenes, the previous executive committee comprised of players - Paul, Mason, Stackhouse, James Jones, Andre Iguodala, Stephen Curry, Willie Green and Matt Bonner - had been working quietly to accomplish that goal.

Mason said the executive committee is looking at the NBPA from top to bottom and looking for better ways to serve players.

"One of my top priorities is to get as much involvement as possible from our players," Paul said. "That's what it's about going forward."

Late Wednesday, Fisher tweeted congratulations to Paul and well-wishes to the NBPA moving forward.

Paul, Mason, Jones, Iguodala, Curry, Green, Bonner, Blake and Tolliver make up the the new executive committee.